Torn Emotions
by Kendarath
Summary: A young girl with a purely physical mutation and a psychotic scientist for a father finds her way to the X-Men while running away from her father's creations, only to have them follow to her new home. What's a girl to do?


Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my own characters.

Summary: A young girl with a purely physical mutation and a psychotic scientist for a father finds her way to the X-Men while running away from her father's creations, only to have them follow to her new home. What's a girl to do?

Rating: PG-13 for content and language, mostly language currently. Very likely to go up at a later date.

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Torn Emotions

By: Kendarath Darkwind

Kerathana's breath came harsh in her own ears as she stumbled blindly away from her pursuer. Her sensitive ears could hear her own heartbeat racing even as she could feel it pounding in her ears. The toe of her boot caught on something lying on the ground and she was sent sprawling.

Fear clutched at the teen's heart as she tried to scramble to her feet but was stopped as a strong hand grabbed onto her right wing and yanked her up.

Kerathana cried out in pain, sounding like a cat that had its tail stepped on. A dark chuckle came from her captor as he regarded the seventeen-year-old. Her long brown-red hair was tangled and matted, her brown-gold eyes were full of fear. The tan cargo pants she had been wearing were torn badly, revealing knee-high black boots. Her black trench coat was open and one arm was ripped off. Underneath her coat a cream spaghetti-strap shirt with a tear across the stomach was revealed. Her cat-like ears flattened against her head, "Let go!" she yelled as her captor reached into his back pocket to pull out a rope.

"Your father's very mad at you, kit." Kerathana's jaw clenched at the mention of her psychotic father, she was _not_ going back to him and his lab! Kerathana tucked her leg up to her body, "Don't you try anything ki-" he started but was cut off as the girl's boot connected firmly with his face. He exclaimed in pain and let go of her, grabbing his most likely broken nose.

Kerathana wasted no time in scrambling to her feet and away from him. She was almost out of the alleyway when she saw what she least wanted to. Three more of her father's 'people' were standing there, ready to fight her. There was a petite girl about Kerathana's size and build, a very large and burly man and a man who wasn't even four feet tall. The teen took this all in as she was dashing towards them; she bunched all of her muscles and sprung as high as she could. Her hand grasped the girl's shoulder as she flipped into a makeshift handspring onto the tall man's shoulder. Before he could react she shoved off hard, hoping to throw him off balance while at the same time flinging herself into the deserted street.

The half-cat hit the ground on her feet, but leaning a bit to far forward she tumbled to the ground again. Kerathana hissed as she felt her muscles trembling with fatigue when she stood. Seeing her father's lackey's turning after her Kerathana took off again, her breath shaky and tears threatening to spill from her eyes. They were going to catch her, and they were going to take her back to the hell that was supposed to be her home. Or they would kill her. Or worse. Hopeless tears slid down her face as she bent her head, urging her exhausted limbs on. Deep down she knew it was hopeless, but she had no other choice, she had to keep running.

Kerathana tried desperately to turn a sharp corner, trying vainly to avoid running into the wall that had popped out of nowhere. The girl crashed roughly into the wall, tumbling to the ground again. This time she couldn't force herself to her feet again. A shadow fell over her and Kerathana shivered, looking up weakly to see her four pursuers. She closed her eyes and ducked her head against her chest. She was dead, and she knew it.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Kerathana bolted up in bed, a scream ripping itself from her throat. Her left hand jerked instinctively to her neck, where her pendant, the Chinese symbol for dragon, rested in the hollow of her throat. Kerathana panted, trying to get air back into her lungs and slow her racing heart.

"Thana?" the groggy voice of one of her roommate's voice came to Kerathana's ears over the sound of her heavy breathing. "You okay?"

"Just a nightmare Kitty."

"Another one?" complained Jubilee.

Kerathana's right hand came up to her head to massage her temple, in a desperate attempt to get rid of the headache that was threatening to form behind her eyes. "Leave her alone, Jube," came Rogue's soft voice from the opposite corner of the room from Kerathana.

"I need some air," Kerathana breathed, stepping out of bed and hurrying out of the room, pretending not to hear Jubilee's comment on annoying fucked-up chicks.

Quickly making her way to the attic, and then to the roof, Kerathana stood, silent for a while, facing the wind as tears slipped unheeded down her face. The breeze blew at her loose pants and low-cut spaghetti-strap shirt that she wore to bed and chilled her to the bone. _Even among the outcasts I can't fit in,_ she thought to herself as her wings ruffled softly behind her.


End file.
